2009-02-17 Seminar - Hurricane Ike Galveston Lessons Learned

Hurricane Ike 2008G l I l dGalveston Island

Brandon Wade, P.E.Deputy City Manager

City of Galveston

Galveston SurgeGalveston Surge

• Behind SeawallBehind Seawall– 12 to 13 ft. Surge

• West End– 10 to 12 ft. Surge

• Entire Island Affected– 90% Heavily Damaged

LL1a: Be Prepared at Work !LL1a: Be Prepared at Work !• THIS MONTH !

– Identify what your “risks” are (Hurricanes and Storm Surge for Galveston)

– Identify what you can do toIdentify what you can do to mitigate those risks (Design / Const. of Hardened Utility Systems)

Before summer• Before summer– Communicate to

Stakeholders.– PrioritizePrioritize

• For next budget– Get the $$$$– Build it !!Build it !!

• REPEAT until you Retire

LL1a: More PreparedLL1a: More Prepared

• Have a ResponseHave a Response and Recovery Plan

• Discuss it ! And again !

• Prepare your staff for p ywhat they might face.

• Prepare for contingencies when your plan fails.

LL1b: Be Prepared at Home !LL1b: Be Prepared at Home !

• Have a Personal PlanHave a Personal Plan– Family, dogs, cats– Spouse, homep– Insurance, photos, etc.– CASH ! FUEL !

• Encourage Employee Pl iPlanning– Same as above

Discuss Risk Situation– Discuss Risk Situation

LL 2: Be VigilantLL 2: Be Vigilant

As I was leaving my houseAs I was leaving my house…

It was a rough commute F id iFriday morning…

And it got worseAnd it got worse…

LL 3: Protect your Assets !LL 3: Protect your Assets !

• Protecting againstProtecting against– Wind and Rain– Storm Surgeg– Fatigue

• Based on Risk– San Luis Hotel– Moody Gardens– UTMB

• Develop your plan.

Damage to InfrastructureDamage to Infrastructure• 100% System Failurey

• New InfrastructureSimple Restart– Simple Restart

– Performed as designed– CIP “on-hold”—Funding

• Old Infrastructure– Major Failure– Latent Damage

• $970 Million Estimate$

Damage to BusinessesDamage to Businesses• Flooded, Mud Damaged,

Inventory Destroyed• Only 35% in Operation

Damage to HomesDamage to Homes

• 75% Heavily Flooded, Possessions Destroyed75% Heavily Flooded, Possessions Destroyed• City-wide Housing Need $735 M• Public Housing Need $250 MPublic Housing Need $250 M

Damage to Tax/Rate BaseAbili RAbility to Recover

• Well Prepared—Reserves, Loansp ,• Taking Action—Hiring Freeze, Pay cuts, Budget

Reduction $15 M, Possible Layoffs• Property Tax down 35%, Water and Sewer down 40%

Hollywood HeightsS l di / 61 t S ASaladia / 61st Street Area

Cohen SubdivisionCohen Subdivision

West End DamageWest End Damage

LL 4: Worst Nightmares C C TCan Come True

• Adapt your designs toAdapt your designs to fit your Risk– Different Roadway

Layout?– Higher Lift Station

Control Panels?Control Panels?– Different Sewer

(Grinder Pumps?)( p )– Different Backup Drive

Fuel / Generators?

Bermuda BeachBermuda Beach

LL 5: Don’t Expect Immediate HelpLL 5: Don t Expect Immediate Help

LL 6: Debris is a Wh l Diff B llWhole Different Ballgame

• YOU need a debris specialists (or two, or p ( ,three)– Separate Rules– The Rules are…

InconvenientDebris Affects– Debris Affects EVERYTHING

Galveston DebrisGalveston Debris• 1.2 Million Cubic Yards to

F b 12 ’09Feb. 12, ’09

• 1.8 Million Pounds of Household Hazardous Waste

• 53,000 White Goods

• 7 200 Televisions/etc7,200 Televisions/etc.

• $43+ Million so far.

LL 7: There are Other Agencies B id YBesides Yours

• Texas Department pof Transportation

• Texas General L d OffiLand Office

• Galveston CountyT Hi t i• Texas Historic Commission

• FEMA• FEMA• FHwA• OthersOthers

LL 8: Don’t Expect FEMA Rules to M k SMake Sense

• FEMA has rulesFEMA has rules• They are serious

about themabout them• You need help• There are FEMA• There are FEMA

specialists• Hire oneHire one

LL 9: Systems are IntegratedLL 9: Systems are Integrated• When you have 100% y

system failure– You have no water

pressurepressure

• It’s Hard to fight a fire with no water

• The Fire Department• The Fire Department needs to understand that…Plan for it.

LL 10: Citizens Clean UpS fSort of…

It gets pushed to the Cityg p y

• Citizens don’t understand FEMA rules…

• Citizens don’t understand your resource constraintsyour resource constraints

• If not cleaned…you need a Debris Specialist…

• If cleaned…you need a Debris Specialist…

The Biggest Lesson LearnedThe Biggest Lesson Learned

• SAFETYSAFETY

– Prepare your people for:Prepare your people for:• Response to the storm• The long haul• The unexpected

– You can never prepare too much– You can never harp too much on it– Start today

It’s a marathon not a sprintIt s a marathon, not a sprint…

Finally…Never spend the night on a pier

during Ikeduring Ike